A Woman Travels Solo to South India

What's your best travel tip? Send us your tips, and if we publish one, you'll get a one-year subscription (or a renewal) to Budget Travel. You can e-mail them to us at Tips@BudgetTravel.com. Best Tips Ever The cleverest tips we've ever run are in The Smart Traveler's Passport, a handy book available at Amazon.com and select bookstores. Send us a tip: If yours is one that we illustrate, we'll send you a free book (and a year's subscription to the magazine). 1. Calm your canine My husband and I like to bring our three dogs on trips, but sometimes they bark at sounds from outside the hotel room. As a solution, we uploaded a recording of ocean waves to our iPod. At the hotel, we hook up the iPod to our mini speakers and play the waves, on repeat. The soothing sounds mask noises, so the pups don't yap. Jennifer Beach, Alexandria, Va. 2. Right on track Taking trains in a country where you don't know the language can be tricky, but when my wife and I were in Italy this year, I stumbled upon a way to make it easier. Find the train's schedule (every station posts these) and snap a digital photo of it. You'll have it with you on the ride to check the stops and know where to get off. Ed Lewis, Manassas, Va. 3. Dodge road fines If you rent a car in London, be sure to ask for a map outlining the city's Congestion Charging zones. Enter these areas—even accidentally—and you'll receive a $10 fine; the longer it takes you to pay, the more you'll be charged. My family and I happened into one of the zones, and our car was captured on camera. We found out when we got home that we owed $240. Joan Hortin, Chattanooga, Tenn. 4. Shoot your passport We all know that when traveling abroad, you should keep copies of your passport in a safe place. I always carry my cell phone with me, so I use it to take pictures of my passport's important pages as backup. When I need to fill out forms, I get my passport number by looking at the photos. John C. Giel, Leesburg, Fla. 5. Go in the know Driving in an unfamiliar area is never easy, which is why I always enter my hotel and other destinations in my GPS before my trip. That way, I can review the recent search history to access directions instead of having to program everything while I'm on the road. Jodi Green, Jacksonville, Fla. 6. Sponge trumps terry Hotels don't always provide washcloths. I used to bring one from home and keep it in a Ziploc bag as I traveled from place to place, but it never dried completely and would smell mildewy after a few days. Now I carry a kitchen sponge instead and have found that it stays fresher longer. Marilyn Silvey, Reston, Va. 7. Use your antenna Finding your rental car in a large parking lot can seem impossible, so my husband and I bring along an antenna topper for our rental. We can always spot the car right away. Beverly Moyer, Sinking Spring, Pa. 8. Shake and wake To sleep soundly when I travel, I wear earplugs, but they make most alarm clocks ineffective. My sister, who is deaf, gave me a great gift: a vibrating-alarm wristwatch that she ordered from vibewatches.com. You can set it to send alerts with a vibration, a beep, or both. I use the watch to wake up and as a reminder to take my medications. Carolyn Falk, Somerville, Mass. 9. Charitable change When you're stuck with extra foreign currency at the end of a trip—not enough to buy much of anything but too much to toss—there's a way to unload it with a good conscience. Many airlines take part in fund-raising programs for good causes and will accept donations in any currency on flights to the U.S. You can lighten your load and help out someone in need. Eugenia Lazaris, Upland, Calif. 10. Almost like washing Those little bars of soap in hotel rooms are good for more than baths. Put a bar or two in your laundry bag, and the clothes won't smell up your suitcase. Brenda Lyons, Christiansburg, Va. 11. Double vision Anytime I buy new eyeglasses, I store the old ones in my carry-on luggage. While I was on a European cruise, I sat on my good pair and couldn't get them repaired. It was a relief to have a backup for the rest of the trip. Nancy R. Wingfield, Roanoke, Va. 12. Plan B banking Like a lot of people, I depend heavily on credit cards when I travel, which means that a lost or stolen card could put me in a bind. For insurance, I deposit some of my vacation funds into a free checking account that comes with a debit card. I keep that card separate from my wallet. If I lose my wallet and can't access my main account, I still have a ready source of funds. James Gruber, Oviedo, Fla. 13. Family baggage When our son and daughter were younger, we bought wheeled nylon duffel bags from L.L.Bean—a different color for everyone in the family. The colors make it easy to do a last-minute check to see that everyone's bag is loaded into the back of the car. The duffels are reasonably priced, come in a variety of sizes, and are really tough. In fact, they still look new some 10 years later. Angie Matkins, Monroe, La. 14. Save Saturday for Brugge If you're on vacation in Brussels and want to take a train to nearby Brugge or Ghent, wait until the weekend. On Saturdays and Sundays, the tickets are half price. April Brown, North Wales, Pa. 15. Port-free parking Cruise terminals typically offer long-term parking for passengers, but the rates can be expensive. My husband and I have found an alternative: Many hotels near ports let cruise guests leave their cars there for free while they're at sea. The only requirement is that you stay at the hotel at least one night before you set sail. Sharon Jones, Waverly, Minn. 16. Lighter fluid not required A friend told me to bring a bottle of activated-charcoal capsules on my trip abroad. When my stomach started going south, I took a few capsules and felt much better within hours. You can buy them at GNC and other vitamin stores. Stephanie Denman, Walnut Creek, Calif. 17. She's got scents Most of my favorite perfume bottles are over the TSA size limit for carry-on liquids, so I can't take them on the plane with me. Before I go on a vacation, I douse a cotton ball with my favorite fragrance and put it in a Ziploc bag. Anytime I want to smell nice, I just dab my wrists. Karen Checki, New Berlin, Wis. 18. Staterooms get roomy My husband and I love going on cruises, but we don't love the cramped cabins. We've discovered that if we use rolling duffel bags instead of traditional suitcases we can collapse and store them under the beds after we unpack. The bags no longer hog our valuable space. Carole Sondike, Deerfield Beach, Fla. 19. Big-box wheels Check out costco.com when you want to book a car rental. It's generally cheaper than going through the major rental companies, and Alamo and National waive the additional-driver fee for Costco members. Junji Takeshita, Honolulu, Hawaii 20. BYO water The last time we went to Disney World, we had two 24-count cases of bottled water delivered to the hotel's front desk before we arrived. Instead of shelling out $2 or $3 per bottle in the parks, we paid a total of $12 for both cases. You can order them from chain stores such as Staples. Patricia Spillane, Warwick, R.I.

Each month, I plan to share snapshots from my own travels with you. But for the next couple of issues, I hope you'll be OK with this glossier version of me. I just had my first baby, Mimi, on November 19. And as much as I'm dying to be out there, drinking a cocktail from a conch shell on Turks and Caicos, snagging one of those chic Philippe Starck-designed rooms in Paris, and catching a rockabilly show at the Continental Club in Austin, for the time being, my excursions are mostly limited to my favorite neighborhood café, Gorilla Coffee, and, when weather permits, Brooklyn's Prospect Park. That'll change soon, I know. And when it does, I want to explore the world with my daughter, as my parents did with me. My earliest memories include marveling at a sunrise in Utah's Monument Valley and cheering a parade of costumed locals in a village in Normandy. The remarkable thing about travel is its ability to turn us into wide-eyed children again. As much as we all want to be in the know, the most rewarding times I've ever had as a traveler are when I've allowed myself to be naive, to embrace feeling comfortably confused and dislocated. As so many destinations start to feel the same (does one really have to go to Tokyo to try yet another Gordon Ramsay restaurant?), my new rule of thumb is that a plane ride needs to be worth it—to take me someplace different enough to justify all the hassle. Especially today, as travel gets trickier and more expensive—and as our time and resources become increasingly limited—it's all the more important to seek out experiences that remind us just how fulfilling it is to be curious again.

Next Prize: Aruba The best response we receive between Jan. 31, 2009, and Feb. 28, 2009, wins a trip to Aruba, courtesy of the Aruba Tourism Authority. It includes air from New York, five nights at the Amsterdam Manor Beach Resort Aruba, transfers and a snorkeling trip by De Palm Tours, and a tour by Aruba Off-Road. For more info on the Aruba Tourism Authority: 800/862-7822, aruba.com. How to enter: E-mail us at TrueStories@BudgetTravel.com or mail us at True Stories, Budget Travel, 530 Seventh Ave., New York, NY 10018. For a complete rundown of the contest guidelines, please see BudgetTravel.com/truestories. Cruise Winner February's winner is Lorena Aguilar of Woodbridge, Va. Her prize is a 14-day South American cruise, courtesy of eCruises.com. My husband and I went to Caiazzo, Italy, to see my relatives. They don't speak English and my husband doesn't speak Italian, so I was the translator. On our first night at my cousin's house, she handed me two towels and a small box labeled INTIMO. My husband assumed it was for "intimate" purposes for the two of us and tried to rush me off to the bedroom, yelling, "Grazie! Grazie!" That's when I realized he was excited about a box of soap for the bidet. As I explained things to my relatives, they laughed hard, and for days the men in the family kept nudging my husband and giving him the thumbs-up. How to create a vegetarian Last summer, our family spent a night in Amarillo, Tex., and ate at the Big Texan Steak Ranch. Our appetizer platter had mountain oysters, which we enjoyed thoroughly. My wife and I and our daughter assumed they were breaded seafood. Three weeks later we heard the name again—and learned that mountain oysters are actually fried bull testicles! Someday this photo will be great blackmail material. Alan Freed, Ambridge, Pa. Isn't it illegal for 11 people to go on a honeymoon? When my husband and I were engaged, his parents said they would give us a honeymoon to remember. We instantly had visions of Hawaii or Mexico. Not quite. They told us we were heading to Disney World in Florida, then added that they'd always wanted to go themselves and were coming along. "That's great!" I told them—what else could I say? In the end, my mother-in-law invited two friends, the friends' three kids, and my sister-in-law and her husband. I can't say a lot of honeymooning went on, but my in-laws did give us a trip we'll never forget. Cristina Beitz, El Cajon, Calif. It really looked like a rifle? My husband and I went to a rental-car counter at the airport in Cancún. Before we signed the contract, I noticed that if we returned the car with even minor damage we would be charged $1,000. We decided not to get the car, but the agent wouldn't give us the contract, which had our credit card number on it. The conversation got very heated, and the agent mentioned calling the police. I thought that was a good idea and went looking for an officer. I saw a man in uniform holding a rifle and explained the situation to him in Spanish. But slowly I realized that his uniform wasn't quite right and his rifle was...a broom. I was speaking to the janitor! I felt ridiculous. Luckily, my husband had managed to snatch the contract. Bonnie Worthen, Pendleton, S.C. Fuel up at the grass station In Rotterdam, a friend and I parked our car and wandered around the city. Later we realized we had forgotten the location of our garage. We found our starting point, which was the site of an outdoor environmental exposition, and asked a few people where the nearest garage was. Finally one guy said, "You mean the car park? I'll take you." We were relieved—until he walked us to an artwork in the exposition. Next time, we'll mark our map. Jill Mazur, Los Angeles, Calif. Then the fog rolled back in After months of planning a trip to Machu Picchu, I arrived at the magnificent site. The weather was not cooperating, and most of the area was under heavy fog. Finally, the cloud cover lifted, and I hurried to pose for a photo so I could prove I had been there. But a llama decided he wanted to get in the picture too! Jodi Resch Brownell, Crandon, Wis. Ever heard of Tide to Go? My wife and I visited her brother in Mozambique. The first night, I was feeling crummy and lay down, but everyone else had a huge pasta dinner. The next day, we went to meet members of my brother-in-law's church. My wife had forgotten to pack a dress, but after searching for an appropriate outfit, she appeared in a white linen shirt and a yellow wraparound skirt with a brown and red design. As we toured the town, what seemed like every dog within 50 miles came and followed my wife closely. Finally we got away from them and returned to my brother-in-law's place to change and eat lunch. Before we sat down, my wife brought out her skirt and spread it across the table. Turns out the dogs had not missed the previous night's spaghetti sauce splatters, which looked like part of the pattern of the tablecloth. Erik Asbjorn, Bayville, N.J. We wanted a picture from the day before Last year, my wife and I were at the beach on Hilton Head Island, S.C., when I noticed a teenager staring at a spot behind me. I turned to see my wife in her chair, topless. Her bikini top had come untied and she hadn't noticed. Oops! As a joke, a friend gave her some caution tape to fix her suit. My wife wore the tape the next day to ensure that she didn't lose her top again. Patrick McCue, Naperville, Ill. But the beer is getting warm! My husband and I were certain that we had everything our 6-month-old son, Owen, could possibly need on a camping trip to Norway and Sweden. We had packed his baby travel gear, toys, and warm clothing. After a few days, however, we realized something was missing—his bathtub! My husband came up with the perfect solution: We emptied our cooler and filled it with warm soapy bubbles. Owen had way more fun than in his boring bathtub at home. Ann Kobiela Ketz, Landstuhl, Germany The revenge of the W.C. At a train station in Europe, several people in my group needed to use the restroom. So we wouldn't all have to pay the fee, I suggested we hold the door and just follow one another in. After the first person exited, it was my turn. As soon as I closed the door, jets of water and disinfectant shot from the wall until I was ankle deep. The water drained immediately, and I went to sit on the toilet, but it rotated into the wall and I almost landed on the wet floor. A newly cleaned toilet swung out from another wall. Finally, I was able to do what I was there for. As I rose and started to fix my clothes, the door opened, and my group, along with several locals, got quite an eyeful. Lesson: A few cents is not too much to pay to use a clean restroom! Sue Hess, Casselberry, Fla. We know how those Italian men are...about cars On a trip to Italy last year, my cousin and I borrowed a friend's car to go shopping. On the way back to the car, we were approached by three men who tried to talk to us. Since we didn't understand Italian, we said, "No, grazie," and started driving. They followed us in their car and kept gesturing for us to stop. Then they took their money out and asked, "How much?" in English. Of course we were offended and upset. Our friend called us at that point, and when we told him what was going on, he just laughed. He had put a for sale sign with his phone number in the rear window, and the men had called to say they were interested. Boy, were we embarrassed. The men did buy the car—they said that seeing how it handled while we were maneuvering to get away was what sold them. Tamara Abramyan, Burbank, Calif. Just call him Cheeky George My kids and I were on a cruise and went to Gumbalimba Park on Roatán Island, Honduras. We were excited to see the capuchin monkeys even though a coworker who had recently been to Honduras told me she'd had only limited interaction with them. Almost as soon as we got to the park, a monkey jumped on my shoulder and grabbed my nose. He then began to climb down my chest—and the next thing I knew he had stuck his head down my shirt. Everyone was laughing and taking pictures. That was a bit more interaction than I'd expected! Ana Rand, Bronx, N.Y. And your friends left you there to take the picture? In 2004, two friends and I spent a day on a dairy farm near Ennis, Ireland, visiting a farmer my friends had met on a previous trip. We walked for hours across his land, avoiding mud and cow patties as we went. Near the barn, we kept to the edge of the path to avoid the muck, but I lost my footing. Imagine my shock and horror when I sank to my thighs and realized that it wasn't mud! I turned to a friend to help me out of the manure, but she said, "I'm not touching you." After I was free, we asked the farmer if he would tell his friends about the crazy Americans. He said no, because they wouldn't believe it—"Even the cows know better!" Gail M. Davis, Virginia Beach, Va. Prize Report Roger and Claudia Hirsch of Dundee, Ore., won a four-night trip to the Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort in Jamaica for their story about a car repair in Belgium. "It was not hard to get relaxed," says Claudia. "We loved the beach and the warm Caribbean water. And we had a room with a balcony and an ocean view. Thank you, SunSpree, Air Jamaica, and Jamaica Tourist Board!"

DAY 1 The former mining towns in California's Gold Country fall into two distinct categories: the half-forgotten hamlets with little remaining evidence of their past, and the places that have been gentrified to look like Hollywood backlots. In early spring, as my friend Kim and I set off from San Francisco to explore the region, our first stop is a spot decidedly in the latter camp. Grass Valley has a very old-timey-looking downtown, but behind the reconstructed wooden façades are pricey boutiques and Pilates studios. Not that I'm complaining. Kim and I are both city girls, from the Bay Area and Brooklyn, respectively. Had we dived right into a ghost town, we might have turned back. Grass Valley became a boomtown after gold was discovered in the nearby hills 150 years ago, attracting a mob of hopeful miners from Cornwall, England (there are still Cornish parties every Christmas). Now the land is covered with grapevines—wine is the new moneymaker in these parts. Craving a bit of historical authenticity with our lunch, Kim and I wander into theHolbrooke Hotel, a Victorian inn—President Ulysses S. Grant once slept here—that has the oldest continuously operating saloon west of the Mississippi. The menu at the Restaurant at the Holbrooke, however, is contemporary Californian. "Do you think Cobb salads were popular with the Cornish miners?" I joke to Kim. I hate doing touristy things, so I planned to bypass the nearbyEmpire Mine State Historic Park, but Kim really wants to go. And, of course, it turns out to be one of our most memorable stops. Between 1850 and 1956, when the mine closed, 5.8 million ounces of gold were extracted from tunnels thousands of feet underground. I feel claustrophobic just peering into the shaft where the men were lowered into the earth, so Kim leads me out to the park, now a popular place for weddings. We both find it ironic that people get married on the very spot where miners died, which leads to a lengthy discussion about blood diamonds in Africa. This is the kind of thing we talk about on vacation—when we're not shopping or eating. Lake Tahoe is about 70 miles to the east. I booked us a hotel in advance, expecting the area to be packed at the tail end of the ski season. But when we arrive, the strip of motels alongside the water is alive with neon vacancy signs. Our place, theMourelatos Lakeshore Resort, is owned by a friendly Greek family; however, I feel a bit of renter's remorse when I see the satin bedspreads, gold-trimmed pillows, and thick wall-to-wall carpeting. Falling asleep in our gilded confines that night, I dream of Greek gods and sooty-faced miners. LODGING Mourelatos Lakeshore Resort 6834 N. Lake Blvd., Tahoe Vista, 800/824-6381, mlrtahoe.com, from $130 FOOD Restaurant at the Holbrooke 212 W. Main St., Grass Valley, 530/273-1353, holbrooke.com, Cobb salad $9 ACTIVITIES Empire Mine State Historic Park 10791 E. Empire St., Grass Valley, 530/273-8522, empiremine.org, $3 DAY 2 Across the border in Nevada, Kim and I decide to do some prospecting of our own at theTahoe Biltmore Lodge & Casino. Kim has never been to a casino and I'm hardly a card shark, so we luck out by sitting at an empty blackjack table opposite Victor, a softhearted dealer who explains the rules to us. (Note to the pit boss: I disguised Victor's identity so you can't fire him for taking pity on a couple of rubes.) Even with Victor's tutelage, we manage to lose $25 in no time—a sure sign that we'd better hit the road. We come back in California and drive toEmerald Bay, one of the most photographed sights in the Sierras. We hike down to the water's edge and find a spot where we can see Fannette Island in the middle of the bay. The sun is melting the last of the snow, and the air smells of pine. As beautiful as the scenery is, I can't wait to show Kim the less-traveled parts of the state to the south, where my family spent many vacations when I was young. Gold and silver deposits were discovered in this mountain nook in the late 1850s, luring miners to outposts like Bridgeport and Bodie. We hoped to visit the latter, now a ghost town, but the road is snowed in. So we arrive early at theRedwood Motel, recognizable by its bucking-bronco statue out front. With the manager's hand-drawn map, we head toTravertine Hot Springs, south of Bridgeport, and slowly lower ourselves into a pool set amid sagebrush and russet rocks. The only thing that could make it better is if the couple in the pool next to ours were to share their bottle of wine. That evening, gussied up for a night on the town, we stumble upon an impromptu block party. Three locals drinking in their truck try to enlist us in a practical joke that involves telling a bartender that I'm his friend's girlfriend from San Diego. Starving, we head to the restaurant at theBridgeport Inn, a gorgeous Gold Rush–era hotel where the menu veers from prime rib to shrimp tempura. I stick with the safe-bet spaghetti and meatballs, while Kim goes for the wild-card chicken satay, and we both feel lucky. After dinner, we decide to check outRhino's Bar & Grille, where I'm supposed to pretend to be somebody's visiting girlfriend. But as soon as we walk in, I realize that I'm not only wearing a red coat and a green cowboy hat, but also carrying a rose. I feel like a prom queen—and not in a good way. So we race back to our hotel and jump into bed for a movie night instead. LODGING Redwood Motel 425 Main St., Bridgeport, 760/932-7060, redwoodmotel.net, from $54 FOODBridgeport Inn  205 Main St., Bridgeport, 760/932-7380, thebridgeportinn.com, spaghetti $17 ACTIVITIES Tahoe Biltmore Lodge & Casino 5 State Hwy. 28, Crystal Bay, Nev., 775/831-0660, tahoebiltmore.com Emerald Bay State Park Hwy. 89, 530/541-3030, parks.ca.gov, $7 per car Travertine Hot Springs Jack Sawyer Rd., off Rte. 395, a half mile south of Bridgeport, free NIGHTLIFE  Rhino's Bar & Grille 226 Main St., Bridgeport, 760/932-7345 DAY 3 The only bummer about arriving at theWhoa Nellie Deliat 10 a.m. is that specials like the wild-buffalo meat loaf aren't being served yet. There is something called Big-Ass Cowboy Steak and Eggs, but I opt for a sesame bagel topped with a tower of smoked trout. Kim's scrambled eggs could feed a family of four; now we know how the place got its name. As we approach theSouth Tufagrove at Mono Lake, the limestone formations look like relics of an ancient civilization. In the 1940s, L.A.'s water authorities diverted the tributaries that fed the basin, halving its volume and exposing the rocky towers, or tufas, that had been submerged. Environmentalists successfully challenged the practice, and the water levels are rising again. Signposts on the trail to the tufas show the lake's depth over the years. It's hard to believe the parking lot—a half mile away—is where the shoreline once was. We would linger, but we have a date with a horse wrangler named Irene atRock Creek Pack Station, north of the nearby town of Bishop. Before the railroad arrived, outposts like this were where people went to send freight via pack animals to the coast. These days, the place gives visitors a taste of life on the range through activities such as six-day pack trips and cattle drives. Kim and I have opted for a slightly shorter endeavor: a four-hour horse ride in search of herds of wild mustangs. As we amble along, Irene expounds on everything from Indian trade routes to mustang ways (apparently, when a stud wants to show another who's boss, he pees on his rival's manure). Irene is a gossip, too—she says John Wayne wore a neckerchief to hide his wattle. After a while, we spot a mustang off in a field, likely a male that has been kicked out of his herd by a competitor. As the beast starts to move toward us, Irene explains that the poor sap—horny and lonely in horse exile—can smell Vera, the mare I'm riding. I edge Vera closer to entice our guy within photo range. He obliges, looking so forlorn I feel guilty for being a tease. Then Vera whinnies and strains against her halter, so we retreat. "If the stud had gotten any closer," Irene says on the way back, "I hope you girls would have known to drop the reins and run." Out of the saddle, Kim and I hobble to our car, looking forward to taking a soak when we get to theInn at Benton Hot Springs. Our room has brass beds, floral wallpaper, and vases fashioned out of boots. But the best part is the hot-spring-fed tubs in the garden. The water temperatures range from sizzling to lobster pot, exactly what two saddle-weary gals need. LODGING Inn at Benton Hot Springs 55137 Hwy. 120, Benton, 760/933-2287, historicbentonhotsprings.com, from $99 FOOD Whoa Nellie Deli 22 Vista Point Rd., Lee Vining, 760/647-1088, whoanelliedeli.com, bagel with trout $10 ACTIVITIES South Tufa Hwy. 120 E., 11 miles southeast of Lee Vining, monolake.org, $3 Rock Creek Pack Station 10 miles off Hwy. 395, north of Bishop, 760/935-4493, rockcreekpackstation.com, trail ride $70 DAY 4 Inspired by the scenery on our morning jaunt south through the Owens River valley—purple desert lupine and granite boulders set against snowcapped mountains—Kim announces she'd like to sing "America the Beautiful." It's early, but I join in, trying not to mangle the song. We follow that with "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" but stop short at "The Star-Spangled Banner" because neither one of us can reach the high notes. The Alabama Hills in the southwestern part of the valley have been the setting for more than 400 movies, includingGunga Din,How the West Was Won, and, most recently,Iron Man. At theMuseum of Lone Pine Film History, we watch a clip about the region's cinematic past and check out the vast collection of movie posters, plus costumes worn by Gene Autry and Dale Evans and the stunning 1937 Plymouth coupe that Humphrey Bogart drove inHigh Sierra. By the time we leave, I'm making a mental list of westerns I want to see and nursing a crush on Gary Cooper. With a few more minutes to spend in Lone Pine, Kim and I stroll down Main Street, past low-slung wooden and adobe storefronts. It doesn't feel very removed from the Gold Rush days. In fact, I can almost hear the sounds of wranglers galloping into town. And there's not a Pilates studio in sight. ACTIVITIES Beverly and Jim Rogers Museum of Lone Pine Film History 701 S. Main St., Lone Pine, 760/876-9909, lonepinefilmhistorymuseum.org, $5 FINDING THE WAY Flying into Reno is the quickest way to jump on Highway 395, the main route through the Sierras. San Francisco is also a fine starting point. Some mountain passes are closed through the late spring. Check dot.ca.gov for road conditions.